The Greatness of America and the Adversity of Diversity

On September 8, 2023, Kim Monson examines the American Dream and the threat of government overreach with two distinguished guests. Carol Swain, former Vanderbilt professor and author of “The Adversity of Diversity,” shares her remarkable journey from poverty to academia while warning about DEI’s discriminatory impact. Bob Boswell, CEO of Laramie Energy, exposes Colorado’s new building regulations that restrict natural gas usage under the guise of environmental protection.

The American Dream Realized and the DEI Threat

Start listening at 71:57 – Hour 2

Carol Swain, retired Vanderbilt professor and constitutional expert, embodies the American Dream she now fights to preserve. Rising from a two-room shack without indoor plumbing to earn five college degrees including a Ph.D. from UNC Chapel Hill and a master’s in law from Yale, Swain credits hard work and the encouragement of people who believed in her potential. Her first book, “Black Faces, Black Interests,” won three national prizes and was cited by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Swain’s latest book, “The Adversity of Diversity,” argues that diversity, equity, and inclusion programs violate the Constitution and civil rights laws following the Supreme Court’s decision to end race-based affirmative action. She recounts how progressive activists targeted her and four other conservative professors nationwide after she wrote an opinion piece criticizing Islam and the Obama administration’s immigration policies in 2015. Of the five tenured professors targeted, only one remains in academia.

The former professor challenges the notion that America is systemically racist, noting that the people who encouraged her academic pursuits were “overwhelmingly white” and included “older white men who are demonized today.” She argues that conservatives need to stand up for constitutional principles and the golden rule, regardless of race, warning that the progressive left tries to destroy anyone who disagrees with their ideology.

“I can tell you that the progressive left that pretends to care so much about minorities tried to destroy me. I came from poverty. I worked very hard to be successful, but they would have had me out on the streets because either you’re with them or they try to destroy you.”

Carol Swain, Author and Constitutional Expert

Colorado’s Assault on Natural Gas and Energy Affordability

Start listening at 30:01 – Hour 1

Bob Boswell, CEO of Laramie Energy, sounds the alarm on Colorado’s new building regulations issued by the Department of Public Health and Environment on August 17, 2023. The rules, ostensibly designed to reduce energy use and costs, actually restrict natural gas usage in large buildings, pushing owners toward more expensive electric alternatives.

Boswell explains that Colorado’s regulatory environment is already among the most rigid in the country, driving up energy costs despite producing “probably the cleanest molecule in the country.” He criticizes the Biden administration’s climate agenda as containing “fool’s goals” backed by trillions of dollars, arguing that wind and solar technologies rely on petrochemicals for their manufacturing while producing less reliable power.

The energy executive emphasizes that CO2 functions as “nature’s fertilizer” essential for photosynthesis and food production, with current levels around 400 parts per million compared to an estimated optimal level of 1,000. He warns that population growth in developing countries, combined with China and India’s plans for new coal plants, makes American energy restrictions particularly counterproductive. Boswell calls on voters to scrutinize candidates’ backgrounds and policy positions, noting that overregulation in any country leads to poorer results.

“It’s part of a political ideology that’s led by certain really left-wing radical elements in the current administration who have these ideals that are not realistic. They don’t understand basic energy physics.”

Bob Boswell, CEO of Laramie Energy